What You Need to Know about VU’s Synecdoche

Vanguard University’s Chair of English Warren Doody, and 2020 English Major Alumni Ashley Collins, give the inside scoop on the university’s literary journal; Synecdoche.

Synecdoche is a figure of speech that is defined by a part representing the whole. The journal was birthed in the year 2004 originating with a creative writing class and later led by the graduating seniors’ in the capstone’ requirement course. 

 As elected facilitator of Synecdoche, Doody tells about his roles of setting deadlines and keeping Synecdoche students on track saying “It’s really difficult to put this [synecdoche journal] together in one semester.” He also adds “The journal itself is entirely student run, there’s something really cool about that.”

Doody goes on to express the impact of Synecdoche and the way it acts as a bridge into the next phase of a student’s journey after graduating college. It allows for students to build their publication as well as their confidence in their scholarly and creative work including short fiction, poetry, short plays, literary nonfiction, scholarly works, and photographs. 

Vanguard University’s very own 2020 graduate, current 2nd year grad student at Northern Arizona University, and former Synecdoche editor-in-chief, Ashley Collins tells about her experience with Synecdoche while attending Vanguard.

Ashley Collins played a large role in pioneering the school’s literary journal into what it is today; an outlet for students to be courageous in sharing their creative work with the world. In an interview with Collins, she talks about her experience with submitting non-fiction pieces her freshman and sophomore year, and not getting published until her third year when her non-fiction piece ‘Square Tables’ was published.

She stated, “Rejection is good, it makes you stronger as an individual, whether you are a writer or not.”

Collins goes on to encourage Vanguard students to submit creative work in confidence that it is going to be read anonymously upon consideration for being published.

She said, “No matter what, your work is being read anonymously. It is being read not based on your character, not you, but just on the work that you submit.”

Synecdoche allows Vanguard students the opportunity to get published and build their publication record before going out into their future career fields.

Collins shared advice for students wanting to submit their creative work to Synecdoche, “What’s college if you’re not doing something new and exciting? It’s a big boost of confidence when you get published.. To know that someone thought that your work was cool.. Or that your work has the potential to impact someone else.” 

Synecdoche begins accepting submissions every spring semester at their email synecdoche@vanguard.edu.